Check list mechanisms



Nov. 19, 1957 R. B. JOHNSON 2,813,504

' CHECK LIST MECHANISMS Filed July 9, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Figol. Fig.2.

INVENTOR Now. 19, 1957 R. B. JOHNSON CHECK LIST MECHANISMS 2 Shets-Shee:

Filed Jul 9, 1954 Fig.4.

5 M w 3 3 3 7 v I w 2 O mm 2 mm mm 3 Sun O i S w .I J. m w nwku nm O 2 r Q O 5 3 3 3 3 3 INVENTOR Roger. B. Johnson United States Patent CHECK LIST MECHANISMS Roger B. Johnson, Mercer, Pa. Application July 9, 1954, Serial No. 442,323

2 Claims. (Cl. 116-135) This invention relates to check list mechanisms and particularly to a reminding household check list for groceries, milk products and the like. There have been many types of indicating devices proposed for use as reminding household check lists for laundry and grocery purposes. All of these devices have been subject to drawbacks and have proven unsatisfactory. The most common type of check list is one in which pegs are inserted in holes to indicate the need for a particular item of foodstuff or household need. In such devices the pegs fall out of the holes and arelost or become scattered from the retaining bin and lost. Another common form of indicator is one in which insertable strips of colored paper are movable behind a face plate so as to show through holes therein. In these devices the strips tend to bind, break and become unusable and, moreover, when at use must project away from the edge of the face plate where they are unsightly and more easily damaged.

The present invention provides a check list mechanism which is simple to make and is free from the drawbacks common to the check lists heretofore proposed.

The present invention provides a check list mechanism having preferably a pair of spaced-apart plates, one of said plates having an elongated opening therein and spaced-apart substantially parallel slots transverse to and spaced from the length of the opening, interchangeable index cards adapted to fit in said openings so that the indicia on one of said cards is visible in the openings, means on said plate holding said cards in the opening, a pin movable in each of said slots, a base on the pin, means on one of said plates engaging the pin base at spaced-apart points along the slot and resilient means pressing the pin base into engagement with the engaging means whereby to hold it fixed in the slot. The parallel slots may be on one side or on opposite sides of the length of the opening. In the latter case the index cards may carry parallel columns of indicia. The pins may be slidable in the slots and may be provided with resilient means on the base engaging means on one of the plates at spaced intervals to hold the pin at regular intervals in the slot. Alternatively the pins may be rotatable in the slots, in which case the base of the pin is rotatable between the plates and the resilient means is preferably formed by one edge of a plate being free to move in elastic deformation.

While I have pointed out certain salient features of my invention hereinabove, other features, objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description of preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the front of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is an isometric view of the rear of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse section of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a second embodiment of my invention;

desired.

4 2,813,504 Patented Nov. 19, 1957 Figure 5 is a front elevation of a third embodiment of my invention; t t

Figure 6 is a section on the line V-V of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a section through a fourth embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawings I have illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 a preferred embodiment of my invention having a face plate 10 and a rear plate 11 cemented together along the outer edges. The face plate 10 is provided with an elongated opening 12 flanked on one long side by spaced-apart slots 13 transverse to a long side of the opening. A holding flange 14 is provided along each edge of the opening 12. The rear plate is provided with a slot 15 through which interchangeable index cards 16 may be inserted and removed from behind holding flanges 14 surrounding the opening 12. Each index card 16 is provided with grocery or merchandise list and several different lists are kept behind the flange 14 and between the face plate 10 and rear plate 11 with the top one exposed for use. A sliding pin 17 is provided in each slot 13. Each such pin has a base 18 and an elongated resilient member 19 slidable beneath the face plate 10 and in contact with the edges of the slot within an opening formed by the spaced-apart plates 10 and 11. The rear plate 11 is provided'with spaced-apart parallel ridges 20 transverse to the slots 13. These ridges 20 are spaced apart so that the ends of the elongated resilient member 19 will engage two adjacent ridges to hold the pin at a fixed point in the slot. Index means 21 are provided at the top of the face plate between each such pair of ridges to indicate the quantity of merchandise The operation of theihechanism is as follows. If the device is to be used as a'dairy productreminder, an index card carrying dairy products such as that shown in Figure 1 is placed on top of the group of cards beneath flanges 14. If it is desired, for example, to order two units of homo. vit. D milk, two units of extra rich milk and one unit of table cream, the pin 17 is moved along the slot corresponding to Homo. vit. D on the index chart to a point beneath the number 2 on the vertical index means 21 (see Figure 1). The ends of the resilient member 19 then rest on the sides of the two ridges 20 remote from the edge of opening 12. Likewise the pin 17 in the slot corresponding to light cream on the index chart is moved in the slot to a point beneath number 1 on the vertical index means 21. At this point the elongated resilient member 19 rests on the sides of the two ridges on each side of the number 1.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 4 I have illustrated a check list mechanism having spaced-apart face plate 30 and a rear plate cemented together along the edges. An elongated opening 32 is provided in the center of the face plate 30 and is flanked on opposite sides by slots 33 transverse to the length of the opening 32. The slots 33 are identical with the slots 13 in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2. Pins 34 having a base 35 and elongated resilient member 36 are slidable in slots 33 in identical fashion with pins 17 of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. Ridges are provided on the rear plate beneath each set of slots 33 precisely in the form illustrated by ridges 20 of Figures 1 and 2. The operation of the mechanism of Figure 3 is identical with that of the device of Figures 1 and 2.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6 I have illustrated a third embodiment of my invention having a face plate 40 and a rear plate 41. An elongated opening 42 is provided 0 in the face plate 40. Flanges 43 along the edge of the opening cooperate with the rear plate 41 to hold interchangeable index cards 44 in the opening. The face plate 40 and rear plate .41 are cemented together along the edge of the flanges 43 leaving the edges of the plates free to move with respect to one another. Parallel slots 45 are provided in face plate 40 along the length of the elongated opening and spaced therefrom through a raised arcuate portion 46 on the face plate parallel with the length of the opening 42. Each such slot is provided with a pin 47 movable therein. Each pin 47 has a cylindrical base 48 provided with a stop member 49 in the form of a ridge rotatable beneath the arcuate portion 46 on the 'face plate. Notches 50 are provided on the underside of the face plate at spaced intervals along the arcuate portion to engage the ridges 49 on the base 48 of the pin. The edges of the two members 40 and 41 are resiliently movable with respect to one another to exert pressure on the pin base to hold it with the stop 49 in the desired notch 50.

The operation of the device is as follows. If it is desired to order an item on a list in the opening 42, the corresponding pin 47 is moved along the slot 45 by rotating the base 48 until the stop member engages the proper notch 50 beneath the desired number of units indicated by the index numeral 51 at the top of the slotted portion of the face plate.

The embodiment illustrated in Figure 7 is substantially identical with that of Figures and 6 excepting that the notches 50 and stop members are eliminated. The pin 52 is provided with a cylindrical base 53 having flats 54 formed thereon. When the pin is rotated it is held on one of the flats by the tension of the free end 55 of the bottom plate.

While I have illustrated and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention it will be understood that it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A check list mechanism comprising a pair of spacedapart plates, connections between said plates holding them generally in spaced relation, one of said plates having an elongated opening therein and spaced-apart substantially parallel slots transverse to and spaced from the length of the opening, interchangeable index cards adapted to fit in said opening whereby the indicia on one of said cards is visible in the opening, means on said plates holding said cards in the opening, a pin movable in each of said slots, a base on said pin, an elongated resilient member on said base and a plurality of parallel ridges on the plate other than the one carrying the slots, said ridges being transverse to the slots and adapted to engage the ends of the .reislient member to hold the pin in the slot at spaced intervals.

2. A check list mechanism comprising a pair of spacedapart plates, connections between said plates holding them generally in spaced relation, one of said plates having an elongated opening therein and spaced-apart substantially parallel slots transverse to and spaced from one side of the length of said opening, interchangeable index cards adapted to fit in said opening whereby the indicia on one of said cards is visible in the opening, means on said plates holding said cards in the opening, a pin movable in each of said slots, a base on said pin, an elongated resilient member on said base and a plurality of parallel ridges on the plate other than the one carrying the slots, said ridges being transverse to the slots and adapted to engage the ends of the resilient member to hold the pin in the slot at spaced intervals.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 471,124 Kelley Mar. 22, 1892 1,351,971 Steigerwald Sept. 7, 1920 1,659,691 Kingman Feb. 21, 1928 2,155,332 Schuerlein Apr. 18, 1939 2,670,707 Abrams Mar. 2, 1954 2,704,048 Perier Mar. 15, 1955 2,745,371 Rabbio May 15, 1956 

